Quite Sad, Really
by Sidh Ceili
Summary: This, my first fanfic, is dedicated to Peter Jackson and all who made the LOTR movies. Thank you. This story is also, in a small way, a homage to the story “Grendel” by John Gardner who reminds us that all creatures, however monstrous, have a mother.
1. Default Chapter

I have had trouble getting up onto the site so I have taken it down and put it back up again. It seems it got up for one night but by the next morning it was gone even though it still looked ok in the edit page. I am hoping I wasn't yanked because of some infraction but I've read over it and can't see one. If someone does, please let me know. This is my first post so it's "traps for young players."

Disclaimer: I do not own any character that is, in any way, recognizable from J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings. This is fanfiction only. Not even the idea is mine. The story comes from something Peter Jackson said in his voice over on the extended DVD.                                    Sidh Ceili  (pronounced Shee Kayly)

Quite Sad, Really Chapter I__

_"Ai_." I hear the little maggots out there. Come here, come here. The Beast take you, horrible little things. Come here and tell me, have you seen my boy? The moon has waxed and waned and he has not come home.

_"Nnng_." If only his father were here, and his brother too. They would have gone out to look for him, but if I leave, who can my boy come home to?

Come here, little maggots, little squeakers. I hear you screaming far off in the axeboy's city. So far off and yet I hear you scream. Do you have a quarry that can put up a fight? Good. Let them cut you for once.

Come home Glorn. Your bed has fresh straw stolen from the little field things. Those little things outside do howl when I come. But I only want their hay… I've got milk too boy.

Oh, the maggots are screaming louder now. Are you with them, my son? Are you fighting things with the maggots? You always wanted to, I know.

I told you not to go with them. Just catch one for food now and then. They don't miss them; they don't care if they only lose one or two in a moon. It's enough.

If your father and uncle were here boy, they would take you hunting. Not the maggots. Where did they go? Could they be dead?

I can't stand the waiting. I must go out and see. "_Glooorn!"_ I start to shout but there is a terrible noise. "_No! No! The Firething. The Beast! It is awake! Fly, flee, Glorn. You must come home."_ He will pass by our cave. He has never come here. He will not find us. "_Glorn!_ I call and I call but if the Beast hears me I am lost.

                                                            oOo

The Firething is loud. He breaks the walls with his steps. Again he has passed our hold. Can you reach home, boy? Stay out of its way.

The Beast is silent. What does this mean? The maggots shout again. The Firething roars again – he still battles but far away now, and further still. Going fast… down? That's good. The Firething lives deep. He has taken his battle deep – to his home.  
  


A long time now and I can hear nothing. I am going out. I will see what I can see. It is moontime outside and all the maggots are outside too, I guess. Chasing the battle. I think this is so because all of them are gone. I am going out.

Oh, my baby – my trollinger – my Glorn – so young – so sweet. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. And yet, it is so. It is real and my boy is gone.

                                                            oOo

Now the squeakers pay. No, I know they didn't kill my boy. The arrows were Eldar and the slashes were from axeboys. Cuts from the little things outside. They killed my boy but there is worse than killing.

A chain. The maggots had him on a chain. They kept him away from me – from home. Oh, my boy, my only boy – on a chain. Now the squeakers pay.

I kill them over and over and they cannot find me. I have left my hole and I know the way. The squeakers do not know my way so I can kill them, squeeze them. If Gloden was here, and Fodden too, they'd kill them with me. Are they dead too? I will kill for them all.


	2. QS chapter 2

_Thanks for the reviews, this story is not cannon and is in homage to Peter Jackson's LOTR films and this story is inspired by the FOTR and Peter Jackson's words on the extended DVD. So, sorry about the confusion. _ Chapter II 

I must be more careful. They nearly caught me today. There were so many, with ropes and chains. They had one held down and waited till I found it to kill it and they came at me. They would have got me to if they'd just tried to kill me but they wanted to catch me, like they did with Glorn. When I saw those chains I fought like the Beast was inside me. They paid for Glorn.

Is it true what they say? That they make us their bullock? They said they'd take me to slave for the Eye with the other Trolls. Could that be my darling Gloden? I do not want to hope for this, and yet I do.

Oh, I was too strong for you, in the end, wasn't I, little crushed things. The little squeakers are crushed now. I'm bigger and stronger than you think. Only Papa was Cavetrollen but Mama was Garganten. She told me about her kin in the high mountains. But she could find no other of her kind for a mate so she took Papa and made me. And so I am bigger and stronger. It is what my Gloden loved about me. He said our boy would be bigger and stronger too. Oh my boy, my boy.

oOo

 I know the way to that place. I have to go and see. What if he is alive, or Fodden. Do I remember the way? It was so long ago, with Mama. She bought me and Papa back to his home. Here. She bought us here. I can not go there now. Too deep. Too near the Beast. He would squash me like I would crush a crawly thing. _Ai_. I can not go that way.

Quiet for so long now. I must go to the Firemountain and find my kin. But how to go. Outside is no good, either. The maggots would catch me. Or the little things, if the Eldar helped them. No, I cannot go.

                                                            oOo

Up I'll go up to the top! Nothing up there but cold and cold stuff and cold rocks. I will wrap my bed around me and take my dead squeakers. The cold will keep them better. Come on maggots, quiet, quiet. The moon is up and your living brothers are outside or so I guess. I'll go up the way the axeboys made. Maggots know that way too but I think they are all out chasing their quarry. Quickly now. Go!

_"Hrnnng."_ That was hard work. The axeboys made little jags to run up but they are too small for my feet. Longer than I remember but there is light up there. I am nearly there. There is something up there. I can hear it. Not maggots? The Skything is up now and they hate it. It hurts my eyes but they hate it. I do not know wh….._ "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA The Beast! The Beast is here!"_ I hear it. Fly! I … what? …hear it… Never have I heard it thus. So weak. In pain. Never in pain. Does it die? I must see. 

It is a tiny thing that has him and how can that be? What is the light it carries? It pricks with its sword and "_Aaaghh!"_ The light! The Skything itself is in his stick.

The little thing has broken the Beast upon the mountain. They are high but I can see. But now the Skything is back in the Sky and the little thing is fallen and looks dead.

Ah, now I come to understand. The little thing with the stickpin is the Skything's son. The Skything comes from the Sky and takes him up and holds him to her breast and lays him back down upon the mountain top. So bright, so bright. I can no longer see anything. But this I know. She grieves for her boy. I know, I know. I weep for you too, great mother. I will weep for you.

                                                            oOo


	3. QS chapter 3

_Thank you, thank you so much for these kind reviews. I don't think I thanked enough at the beginning of chapter 2. I am so encouraged. I have been writing for myself for years and so this is very exciting.  I do hope you will figure out what everything is. If you don't I will have to do a bit of revision ;-)_ Chapter III 

Now my path is not clear to me. Which way do I go? Do I dare the axeboy's way again? If I do, I can go down to the Firething's cave and travel to the Blacklands in the deep. If I go on top of the mountains I will not meet anyone, I am thinking. Not many things come this way. But when the mountains come to an end... Maybe I cannot get back down to the Trollway. I don't think the maggots know the beast is dead just yet. If they don't know then I am safe in its hole. 

I wonder if the Beast is good to eat.

                                                            oOo

Now, this is a wonderful thing. The claw of the Beast. This one on the ground still makes water come out of the cold and look, it tears the rock like my hand tears the ground. And there are many claws.

_"Ai."_ It is hard to pull out the claws. I have to be slow. I am afraid of the claws. I could kill myself upon it. Maybe if I cut off its foot with the claw…

Oh, that was bad. That was bad. The blood boiled out like mountain spew. The fumes, they choke me. Must drink the cold. Must get away.

                                                            oOo

Now as I look at the Firething from up here I can see how huge it is. How did any of us live while it dwelt with us. It could kill a great many at one swing. It had the lash too. I can see it. It lies underneath its body. Black. Like the crust of mountain spew. I wonder if I can touch it?

I know what I could do. I could wind the lash around one end of the foot. Then I could carry the foot like I carry my stick. The lash is like soft iron but the claw can rend it. Now I have a slasher. My old hitting stick looks small by its side. 

How much can I carry. I must take out all the claws and hurry – No. I must go slow. The claws can still kill me - I think this is true.

                                                            OOo

Now I think I can do another thing. The other end of the lash. Thick as my head but empty for a little way down. I can cut it off and wrap it around me. On my back. My bed can hold it too me. I can carry the claws and my old stick. I can go.

I have fit three more claws in my holder. It is hot against me but I can endure it. Maybe I can use the little Skything's bed. No, I will not disturb her son.  


	4. QS chapter 4

Chapter IV

If I can raid the Beast then so can the squeakers. They will find it and then they will have claws and they are dangerous enough. I have to bury the Beast. How can I bury it. I will be here too long. If Gloden and Fodden are alive I must get to them. 

oOo

The claw. The claw is a great gift. I can tear the rocks and mountain easily. I can bury the Beast safe from maggots. They will not smell it if I bury it deep and I can now. 

I will bury the Skything's son too and I see now he is not covered by his bed. The Skything has burned it away from its body so I will bury it. Like my Glorn. Buried now in my cave. The Firething must come first in case the squeakers come.

The Firething is so big. The moon comes again and I have not covered all his legs. I must hurry. They will smell and they will come. 

There, let them try to find it. It is deep and many rocks lay atop. But She opens her fiery eyes and lights this day. I must rest .. I must sleep. Then, bright Mother, I will honor your son.

                                                            oOo

_Ai!_ An old flyer has taken the little Skything. A rock. No, I am too late. I am sorry ancient mother. I could not protect your boy. I should have tended him before I slept. 

There is nothing more to do here. The moon has come again and I must risk the axeboy's way while the maggots hunt. I will find the old trollway and go to my love. I should not believe so much that they both live. But I can avenge them if they do not. Now, now while it is quiet.

                                                            oOo

"You little squirmer, get off my foot, maggot! Nnng! Your pins don't hurt me , come here, I will squish you. Scream if you can. For Glorn! Feel my claw! Hah! You cannot outrun me and death! Death to you." I must kill them all. They cannot bring more to chase me. I will call out to them… "Oh, oh, my leg, no, don't kill me! No, please......."  Hah! They think it true. "Got you! And you, I have you! The claw reaches far, squeaker."

Now, for it, girl. Run to the deep. At the end of the town and down and down. Keep running Venny, girl. For as long as you can.

                                                            oOo

I have run for many days. I do not know how many. I have not seen the outside since I left axeboy's town. I do not know how far it is. I can only go on.

                                                            oOo

So many ways to go. This path…. Now this path….. Now this one…... I do not know this one.

I will sleep now. I am muddled in my head. My holder is warm beside me. If I go to my death I will take many, many with me….

                                                            oOo


	5. QS chapter 5

_Thanks for the vote of confidence, Newmoon. It did start out as that one chapter but the more I wrote, the more she told me._

Chapter V

Sleep has bought back memories from this place. The Trollway has signs. Look for the signs. Here, the way the wall comes out and in and out and round. I see it now. The old home of Trollen. There were many once but now, like Mama's kin, we dwindle and wane. Maggots, squeakers. They kill us and they grow. Now they will wane. They will die by claw and stick. I have the old secret way now. They do not know this place. Too deep for them. If I come back from the Blackland I will live here and catch them and kill them until I die.

                                                            oOo

I do not know how far it is. All I ever hear is the sound of the water at the edge of the road. The fishes are harder to catch than squeakers but better to eat. 

                                                            oOo

This path… this path will take me to the Firemountain. We once went freely there. If Mama had not taken him away, Papa would have fought with the maggots there. Where have all the Trollen gone? Have they all been taken? 

I must go slowly now. Stay quiet. Something mov- "_Aiiii!"_ A trap.

I am caged. Every step I have taken has been to no good end. When they come to get me I will kill as many as I can but there will, as like as not, be too many. Like maggots on meat they are. Always I have thought of them thus. They wiggle and squirm like maggots when I catch them.

I can't see them or hear them but I can smell them although not clearly. This place stinks of maggot and firestone all mixed together, it stings my nose. They will come but I will kill them before they chain me. Why do they not come? I am ready.

Maybe they mean to starve me so I become weak. Well I still have the claw. The claw! Ai, I am slow in the head. Yes, it rends the bars. It is hard work but I can do it. They will come before I can do this. Why do they not come?

I see how this cage falls. I made it fall as I walked upon it. The cage falls when the rope is caught. I can not… yes. Better to pull the cage back up. Maybe they do not know I am here.


	6. QS chapter 6

Thank you so, so much for your encouraging reviews. I will try to make good use of the crits. I will try to put up the last of the chapters tonight.  Don't worry, they're short ;-)

Chapter VI

Something comes. To check the traps is my guess. I will hide in this hole and kill as many as I can while I live. Bigger than a squeaker… I know this smell… Trollen! Gloden? No, Ai! Stay in your hole until you know, Venny. Go slow, go slow.

It is kin but not Gloden or Fodden. But kin, yes. Does he work for the Blacklands? Will he try to take me? He walks free in this place. He's checking the trap. Can he see the broken door. Ah, I think he smells me. 

Son of filth! Come closer to my smell - I will make him tell me of my kin and then I will kill him. What is it that I hear?

Scratching… it has the sound of squeakers digging. Where did my filthy brother go?

There, they break through the wall.. maggots broken through. Two, three, six, there are more. They have not seen the rope. They do not know the rope. Hi! The trap is on them. He comes with his stick but the door is broken. He is against many. They have hooks. And their cursed ropes and chains. Time for Venny to come. Time for the claw to help.

                                                            oOo

_"I took you for Blacklanden. Come, we will block up that hole. Fix the trap. We can use the squeakers chains and hooks. They do not know about you? How? I see. This is still Trollway. I have not been so happy for a long time. Let me tell you about my kin."_

                                                            oOo

Thag has taken me to see the tribe. They are six. Maybe we are the only ones left in the world. Other than the slaves of the Eye. Many have died in this fight. Their grief is my grief. Yet they do not try to get them out. The might of the Eye is too great. Maggots in great numbers and other beasts. Some with Power. I tell them about the Firething and I show them the claw. They see what it can do and that I have three more. We decide that we might, at the very last of our hope and lives, do some damage and avenge our tribe.

But it is hard to come to this point. These Trollen, they grunt more than they talk. Too long have they been alone and few. My Mama's blood can not be seen much in my face but I carry the language of Garganten in my head. And my body honors her too. I am bigger than any I have met. The only beast bigger lies buried on the mountain. Slain by the Skything's son. Only as small as an outside thing but with Her Power. This must be a lesson to Trollen. We can not win by size alone.

Ah, their talk is humble but I see that they have knowledge still. They live right under the Blackland and remain hidden. They have made this trap and now there is a feeling of hope that was dead when I came here. They look to me to lead them. Maybe there is  something we can do.

                                                            oOo


	7. QS chapter 7

_Some action – at last!_

Chapter VII

Something new. A brother has come. He sais Trollen are caged near here. He has heard the squeakers talk but they did not catch him. They make ready for war. The Eye goes to War and he no longer sees everywhere. His Eye is outside his gate. Here is something we can do. Ai, if this stench was not so bad we would have caught their smell. They are so near. Are you there Gloden? Do not hope Venny.

                                                            oOo

The Eye has everyone beaten down so that they no longer know the power of their own bodies. Trollen can open that cage easily. I do not even need the claw. We are almost through. Not Kin. Not Trollen. "_Aaarggnnggngh!"_ Outside things. Much bigger but these things are not Trollen. 

                                                            oOo

They started to fight us but the biggest of them stopped them and asked us if the war had started. We all stopped fighting. For a moment we were still. I told him we thought they were Trollen. "Hill Trolls" He said. "You stupid Cave Trolls are not to be trusted on your own. Where are yer keepers? Yer should be in the forges." Then he was suddenly angry and he shouted out "Hi! Trolls out! But it was the last words that came from his mouth. As quickly as we had stopped, we were fighting again. My brothers were filled with the power of the Firething. These were Blacklanders and they would risk death to kill them. _"The Eye now has less 'Hill Troll' in his army."_ I said to my brothers and we laughed. They were not Trollen.

                                                            oOo

A great noise is heard above. A great clanging noise. Like the axeboys would make with rams horns when they first fought the squeakers. They have heard our fight and are come to get us. We will not be taken for bullock. We will fight here. 

                                                            oOo

No one comes and the stench moves farther away. We hear pounding, we hear the clanging sound, we hear many beasts move but always away from here. We hear less. 

                                                            oOo

It took a long time but now we hear nothing. The Hillthing asked if war had started. It seems that it has. Now who will we fight? We will not fight in his war. But all the squeakers, the maggots are an army now. Just by numbers would they have us before we could really have our fill. 

We must search for our kin. If they are caged, it may be that we can find them now that the maggots are fighting outside. We will try. Though we do not know the way.

                                                            oOo

We just wander in these tunnels. We think we can smell kin but the stench is still strong. How did anyone know where they were going? The Eye told them. The maggots told them. How did the maggots know where they were going? There eyes are better I am guessing. Ah yes, Blagken has the scent. He is young. Yes, I smell it. "_Go! Follow him!"_ Yes! Behind that great wall. _"Hnnngng"_ It is a strong metal. But not as strong as the shiny stuff the axeboys dug for. Not as strong as the claw. The heat in there! Is there a Firething in there? I do not hear one. Their call is known to me. But the Heat! There are fires. Like the axeboys had. But not like this. This is huge. And Trollen! Kin! _"Gloden! Fodden!"_ I call but I do not smell them. I do not hear them. I ask many, "_Do you know my kin?"_

There is great treachery here. Trollen chained to great bars that they turn and turn. We have killed all the maggots. Not enough. I would kill more for this terrible thing. They are weak and their hide is cut and scored. But they live. One sais she has heard of my boys or some boys on the Blackgate. That is where the whole army is. Other say they know of Trollen in the Granary. We will go there first. But we will go to the Blackgate as well. We will go where there is rumor of any Trollen. We will not leave any kin like this. Never.

We have fed them on the squeakers and they look better. They want to kill now. They want their vengeance. I feel their anger. Their hatred. We do not know where this Granary is so we must wander about as lost things in this tunnel again. Put Blagken to the front once more. He will find them I think.

We now kill everything we see. There are many of us and we only ever see a few maggots at a time. They are not enough to feed our vengeance. Blagken has a trail. He is quick, this boy. But he also fills me with grief. He would have been a friend to my Glorn. Oh Glorn. How will I tell your father. Even though I search for you, Gloden. I dread that time. Oh my Glorn.

We have found them. Again they are chained to great metal poles that they turn in an endless circle. Again their hides are torn and rent. Again we slay the maggots and again they are too few for our fury. We will wait till our brothers are strong again and then we must try the Blackgate.

                                                            oOo

I have met with Forjer. He has been on the Blackgate. When he was younger. Now he is very old and they put him in the Granary when he could no longer open the Blackgate. He will take us there. Blagken will lead us too. He will tell us who comes this way before we meet them if we have not used up all our luck. 

I march next after Blagken and Forjer But I lead this tribe now. They look to me and I will take them where they have need to go. To vengeance. To kill. To die. We do not gild our thoughts of triumph. Only to avenge and to take the chains off our brothers. We can feel the power of the Eye even though it does not look at us right now. When it does we will be crushed and the maggots will be too many but we will have our fill before we die.

                                                            oOo

Blagken sais Orken are ahead. Many. His nose is good. I can catch the scent but he knows where they are. Forjer is going the other way. He is old and I guess he does not want to face the chains again. No. I am wrong. He has found the way to the Blackgate. Ai! The whiff of Ork is strong. We are near. "_Here, Blagken, go with Forjer. Take this claw. It will tear the chains. Arjen, Bray, Jan. Go with them. We will stay here and kill the Orken."_ He has a fire that boy, he is a great Troll. The claw has made him strong. May be that he will lead after I die in this fight. Find my kin Bagken.

We feel the Eye. There, the army. Great numbers. "_No, Kabber, The Eye tells you to kill the Westmen. Forget that. All of you. Remember your kin. Kill the Orken!"_

                                                            oOo


	8. QS chapter 8

_Yes! Newmoon, you are absolutely right. I was so intent on the aftermath I forgot about their reunion, thanks for the good crit. This is a new final chapter._

Chapter VIII

"You, go that way. You two, take that side. Crush them, kill them. To me, to me! Kap, behind you. Radjer, help him. Here come those Hilltrolls. Take back your name boys. Now, to the end. For Gloden, for Fodden, for Glorn!… … … … …"  Something has happened. Here comes his claw. "The Eye comes!" All is lost!

The power is gone. The Eye is gone! What does this mean? 

The squeakers are running. The Hillboys are running. They are without purpose. But they run this way. We will give you purpose Orken, Maggots, Squeakers. Come to my Claw "Hnnnnnngnnnh!"

                                                            oOo

They are calling for the Blackgate to close. It has not moved yet. I should not hope but I do. Still the Blackgate does not move and now Orken are falling down from there. Blagken makes good use of the claw, I hope. The maggots that are not killed by us run past us, they run from the Westmen. I start to smell them. They are coming. We do not need to kill them. Just the squeakers. 

What do I see? The Skything's son. He wields her fire! And the old flier that took him! Ah, I see that this flyer is a thrall of the Skything. And the Westmen. "Hail Skything! And your son! Your enemies are my enemies I see! I bow to thee, Majesty!" 

"Keep after them, Kap. Down to the tunnels. I will wait here for Blagken and Forjer and any others with them. We will come to the Trollway. Save me a squeaker or two."

Yes, Yes, do I see my Gloden! "Gn? A pin in my hide?" The maggot will pay. For one moment I forget that more maggots than I have ever seen in my life surround us. "Come Gloden, Fodden, my dear. Take these claws. Help Forjer. I never thought to see you alive again. My joy. We must talk - but first we must kill."

Their pins are flying all around us but still they do not move. Great is their shock at their rescue and their reunion with me. They ignore the claws and keep hugging me and I can see him searching behind me. _"Glorn?"_ he asks and he sees the tidings in my face. _"Glorn?"_ he asks again and this time I can not keep it from him. "_The maggots chained him and took him to his doom. I could not keep him safe."_ More pins fly and Fodden swings around and swipes at the maggot and cuts him right through. It also takes half the wall he was on. He and Gloden come to understand and they look at the claw. Then they look at me. _"Go!" _I tell them. "_The claws are mighty. Avenge our boy!"_ Now a rage has come over them as it was with me. They turn to face the Orken.

The maggots are still great in numbers but most of them are fleeing now. The other Hilltroll are running too but they also kill maggots when they come upon them. There are other beasts that I can not name. All running and shouting. The only smell is blood.

Now the hunt is on! The Westmen fade at our rear. Some had joined the chase but their captains call them home. This is our hunt.

oOo

We chased them…………..

We ran and ran all over Blackland. In caves and tunnels that would turn and turn and then break off to many other paths or double back and I had to stop us before we became lost. I had to get Blagken to help me keep the kin together. They did not want to stop. Joy and  rage burned in their hearts. But we had to keep together. We had been apart too long.

oOo

We have chased them as much as we are going to, this moon. Soon the Skything will come to her throne again. The Eye had kept her from this land but she is far mightier than he and has vanquished him. She has struck him down for his treachery. He tried to keep her from her throne and kept his shadow between her and all that is hers. The Eye is no more. Hail to the Skything.

Gloden and Fodden are silent in their grief now. I should have kept our son safer. They blame me not but I cannot forgive myself. Now that the danger is passed and we hold the Trollway I am struck with grief afresh. A lot of our kin have gone to smash the cave of the Eye but we can not join such celebrations. Forjer stays with us and has spoken to us of his youth. He remembers our kin. He remembers all the names of the fallen. He has added Glorn to the list. He holds the language better than the others. 

We hold each other. The three of us hold each other while Forjer sings the names of the dead. He sings for Glorn at the last…………

oOo

We will teach the Trollen their language again. There must be new born to us and the young shall need to learn about the treachery of the Orken and the Day the Skything Saved us from the Eye. So Glorn will not die without reason. We will teach these things in his name. 

Trollen will not forget.


End file.
